Author: Nahapetian Lilit

BUSH REITERATES TO TURKISH PRESIDENT HIS OPPOSITION TO CONGRESS’ ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEASURE

Associated Press
Oct 5 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) – President George W. Bush told the Turkish prime
minister on Friday that he strongly opposes a resolution in Congress
that labels the World War I-era deaths of up to 1.5 million Armenians
genocide.

Bush and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan talked by telephone about
the legislation, which is to go before the House of Representatives
Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday. It is expected to be approved.

Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman, said Bush "reiterated his
opposition to this resolution, the passage of which would be harmful
to U.S. relations with Turkey.

The Armenians, a minority in Ottoman Turkey, died from 1915 to 1923 as
the Ottoman Empire disintegrated. Many Armenians insist the deaths was
genocide planned and carried out by Turks. Turkey contends that the
Armenians were victims of widespread chaos and governmental breakdown
as the 600-year-old empire collapsed.

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN’S NOMINATION IS TO BE DISCUSSED

Lragir, Armenia
Oct 5 2007

When will the Heritage party make a decision regarding nomination
of Raffi Hovannisian or support for another candidate? The formal
leader of the party Vardan Khachatryan answered this question during
the news briefing on October 5.

"The procedure of nomination of president has several stages: decision
by the board, affirmation by the Council and the conference," stated
the formal leader of the party Vardan Khachatryan. He said considering
the procedure it is early to discuss the decision of the party.

Vardan Khachatryan gave a similar answer to the question of a reporter
on the Heritage’s stance on supporting Levon Ter-Petrosyan in case
the leader of the party Raffi Hovannisian is not nominated.

Vardan Khachatryan says this decision should also be discussed on
different levels inside the party to make a decision on supporting
any other candidate in case the party does not nominate president.

Vardan Khachatryan announced only that the Heritage Party has always
been an active participant of political processes and so will be in
the future. As to a likely meeting with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Vardan
Khachatryan says they have got no invitation yet.

BAKU STATEMENTS ON CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS – ATTEMPT TO REPRESENT KARABAKH CONFLICT AS ‘BURNING’ BUT NOT ‘FROZEN’

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.10.2007 16:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Baku’s statements on ceasefire violations are
nothing but an attempt to show that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
is not ‘frozen’ but ‘burning’, the Armenian NA Vice Speaker, Vahan
Hovhannisian said.

"I do not rule out that Baku paints a background for a real aggravation
of the situation. I have recently been to Tigranakert (Aghdam region),
which is situated near the frontline. I heard no firing there. The
ceasefire is maintained," he said.

When commenting on the possibility of resumption of hostilities in
the context of Azeri leadership’s militant statements, Mr Hovhannisian
said, "The tone of the Azeri leaders is influenced by the petrodollar
factor. Apparently, they do no understand that any aggression will
result in a sudden cut of this flow, since the oil facilities will
be the first targets if Azerbaijan wages war. Azeris had better
think before drying up the source that feeds them," he said, IA
Regnum reports.

EP APPROVES RESOLUTION ON TURKEY

Turkish Press
Milliyet
Oct 4 2007

The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday approved
a resolution on Turkey prepared by Ria Oomen-Ruijten, a Dutch MEP. Most
of the 236 proposed amendments were either withdrawn or redrafted as
a result of compromises by political groups in the EP. The so-called
Armenian genocide allegations are not directly mentioned in the
document, but a clause saying a withdrawal of Turkish troops from
Cyprus would facilitate a solution on the island was added in a
compromise. It also praises Turkey’s fair and democratic election
process.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS NAGORNO KARABAKH IS NOT A FROZEN CONFLICT

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 4 2007

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan addressed the 62nd session
of the UN General Assembly, APA reports.

The minister mentioned that protracted conflicts in GUAM and their
influence on the international peace, security and development were
included into the agenda of the session.

"They are sometimes called "frozen conflicts". Nagorno Karabakh is
not a frozen conflict. We are negotiating with Azerbaijan and inching
towards resolution. First, there is a well-developed negotiating
document on the table, based on the core issue and the consequential
issues. Together, they add up to a balanced solution," he said.

Oskanyan said that UN is not the place to discuss Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, since the negotiations are being carried out in the framework
of OSCE.

Expressing his confidence that situation in Kosovo will soon be
solved Oskanyan called on politicians to refuse the theses that giving
independence to Kosovo, will serve as precedent. He stated that such
an approach violates principle of people’s self-determination.

Touching upon the energy security Armenian Foreign Minister said
that rise of prices for energy resources, whets appetite of those
who produce energy carriers and they do not think of protection of
environment.

WHEN THEY MISTAKE POLITICS FOR POLITENESS
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkharh Daily, Armenia
Oct 3 2007

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, member of ARF bureau Vahan
Hovhannisyan responds to the questions about the meeting between
Dashnaktsutyun and Armenian Pan National Movement, which is diligently
discussed recently in the press and political circles.

"Don’t you think Dashnaktsutyun gave "indulgence" to Armenian Pan
National Movement for the political persecutions towards ARFD, by
hosting the party in the person of the ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosyan
and ex-Foreign Minister Alexander Arzumanyan in ARFD office."

"I don’t think so. Every party or political figure, when they remit
their sins, if they do so, they do it for their activity not for the
attitude of the other people."

"From the point of view of the regulation of Artsakh conflict, how
would you evaluate the announcement of the ex-President saying that
Azerbaijan won’t make concession but the problem need swift solutions
otherwise we will lose both Armenia and Azerbaijan."

" Many people, Mass Media, political figures, political circles pretend
to be more Catholic than the Pope of Rome, they pretend to be more
"Dashnaktsutyun-oriented" than Dashnaktsutyun itself, they want to
show an example of being anti-Armenian Pan National Movement. To
whom – to Dashnaktsutyun? I can definitely say that these people
are mostly concerned about having power. And we are mostly concerned
about Armenia’s future. That is why we want to have fair elections
in Armenia.

I consider the announcement made by Levon Ter-Petrosyan regarding the
regulation of Karabakh issue to be wrong and dangerous. I think it
can toughen Azerbaijani posture in the negotiations. Because certain
Azerbaijani circles can think that there is a "crack" in our society.

During the previous years we managed to convince all the parliamentary
factions to sign a document on "how we see the regulation of Karabakh
issue" and to appear with a united attitude regarding this issue. The
most important thing here is that both the coalition factions and
the parliamentary opposition signed this document. It was a sign
for Azerbaijan that there is a united camp in our society regarding
Karabakh issue that is impossible to split.

Ter-Petrosyan said that there is a possibility to split it.

In my view this is dangerous and we will argue about this issue and
fight and we will never reach an agreement on it.

And the issue that has become a matter of concern for our political
circles in fact refers not to politics but rules of politeness. And
because in Armenia very often they mistake politics for politeness,
when you smile or behave as a civilized person they take it for a
political agreement. Time will arrange everything."

"Do you think Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s activeness have really "aroused
serious panic" in the political domain?"

"I don’t think so had the authority given a political assessment to
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s policy, in good time (something that by the way
we were insisting on) the situation in the country would have been
better. At that time we proposed to give the political assessment, to
dissolve the parliament and to hold extraordinary elections. We have
underscored many times that the coup d’etat of 1998 was not complete,
the President was changed, but the Parliament ruled by Armenian Pan
National Movement remained. Many of them later joined "Miasnutyun"
faction. Here is the result.

TWM REGISTRATION AUTOMATION SYSTEM INTRODUCED IN ARMENIAN CUSTOMS SYSTEM
Author: Tonoyan Susanna
Editor: Khachatrian Haroutiun

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 2 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The TWM computer system for customs
registration automation is being introduced in the RA State Customs
Committee. Armen Stepanian, head of the Zvartnots regional custom
house, told reporters on October 2 that the new system will allow to
conduct more flexible customs administration, in particular, to speed
up the process of declaration by using the Internet.

He said that one of the new system’s advantages is that after filing
in the electronic version of the declaration, all information about
the given economic entity and the transaction is automatically sent
to the respective units of the customs body. The use of TWM requires
that all territorial customs bodies have satellite communication. So
it is envisaged to set up three new satellite stations at Gugark,
Shirak and Sisian regional custom houses. TWM will be installed at
the passenger complex of the Zvartnots customs house as well.

According to A. Stepanian, so far such systems have been installed
in three countries: Nigeria, the Philippines and Lithuania.

LAKE SEVAN AT THE OFFICIARY PERIOD OF ARAM HAROUTIUNIAN
By Nana Petrosian

AZG Armenian Daily
02/10/2007

"The level of Lake Sevan rose by 63 cm to 1898,86 m", announced RA
Minister of Environmental Protection Aram Harutyunian at a press
conference in Armenpress press hall in connection with his 100-day
tenure.

However, this news cannot be unequivocally good news taking into
account the issues connected with the lake’s level rise.

"This year leakages from Sevan started in June and reached 144,4 mln
m3. Only 75 hectares from 92 hectares under water was cleaned yet",
informed the Minister.

According to him, this year the appropriation from the state budget
increased by 20 mln drams (about 58 thousand US dollars) to 29 mln
995 thousand drams for the acquisition of several species of fishes.

According to check up and control of the Supervision of MNP 492
violations are recorded in 519 enterprises and the penalties reached
22,2 billion drams. Also 118 violations of nature were recorded and
recorded 49 mln drams of penalties. In total, 29,2 mln drams were
transferred to state budget.

The national parks "Sevan", "Dilidzan" and the forest reserves of the
republic were also at the center of attention of Aram Harutyunian
during his 100-day tenure. A thorough check up was realized there
and the reconstruction of some governmental buildings was fulfilled.

Aram Harutyunian’s attention was also concentrated on the activities of
Alaverdi’s Copper-Molybdenum Enterprise. The Ministry staff visited
the factory and discussed issues of exhaustion and equipments of
decreasing air pollution. The Minister was informed about the program
worked out by "Armenia Copper Program" CJSC, which exploits the mine,
to reduce the exhaustions of the factory. The program is to carry
out this year and finish in 2008.

According to the MEP Monitoring Center of the Environment the medium
content of acid in the air of Alaverdi is 11,4 times more than the
permissible norm.

The exhaustions of last year exceed 2 tons instead of the permissible
1,5 ton.

An additional order "The permissible norms of the exhaustions of the
companies having air polluting not movable sources" is also worked
out during those 100 days. Projects on permissible exhaustions of
30 organizations were drew up and affirmed. Also two projects on
decreasing transport exhaustions and carrying on efficient struggle
against under permissible level of air pollution.

ArmRadio – Public Radio, Armenia
Sept 29 2007

President Kocharyan signs a decree on fall call up and demobilization

29.09.2007 11:24

President Robert Kocharyan today signed a decree on 2007 fall call up
and demobilization, President’s Press Service informs.

According to the decree, during October-December 2007 those male
citizens who turn 18 before the draft day as well as those who lost
the draft deferment right will be called up for compulsory military
service.

During October-December 2007 those who completed the compulsory
military service, will be demobilized.

Panorama.am

13:59 29/09/2007

IJEVAN GEOLOGY MUSUEM TO BE PUT UNDER OPERATION NEXT YEAR

The Geology Museum of Ijevan currently under construction will be put
under operation next year. Tavush governor’s office official web site
informs that the construction is under final phase. Critical
construction operations are conducted to make the building resistant
to underground waters and earthquake.

According to the same source, the pace of the construction proves that
the construction workers will keep to their word and the resort town
of Ijevan will have one more wonderful building that will exhibit
samples of art.

Source: Panorama.am